Help Us Spread Christmas Cheer and Raise $10,000 for the Library!

Thanks to two Secret Santas, there will be cheer for you, cheer for me, and cheer for the library this holiday season.

All you have to do is watch Christmas movies and/or do acts of kindness. In exchange, you’ll raise money for our building project and accrue OOPS credit, which you can use for library fines or bank to pay for copies and faxes.

Interested? Read on!

Penelope’s Poetry Parlor: November

Our theme for the library this year is What a Wonderful World, and to that end, we’re focusing on seeing the wonder in our world. Usually, every month at the desk, we have an article available for patrons to read and discuss with Julie, our library director, but this year, we’re handing out poems instead. Our trusty library goose is also helping us pen a monthly column that focuses on some of the gems in our poetry collection.

For November, our poem is James Merrill’s “Periwinkles.” When people list popular 20th century poets, James Merrill likely doesn’t make most lists, though he was certainly well-respected during his lifetime. It’s a shame because, with his keen ear for language, Merrill has an elegant, eloquent style that is well worth visiting. It’s already evident in “Periwinkles,” which was written when Merrill was in his early 20s. His influence also extends beyond what he wrote, for Merrill, who was born into a wealthy, prominent family, used his inheritance to support fellow writers who were not as financially secure. Among other poets who benefited from his generosity is Elizabeth Bishop, whose work is better known today than Merrill’s.

Book Buzz: Historic Scandals, Dancing Visions, Suburban Thrillers, WWII Heroes, and Willie Nelson

Every month, we’re profiling new-ish releases that are getting critical and commercial buzz. For November, we’re looking at an infamous romance in literary history, a thought-provoking YA romance, an unsettling new thriller, a nonfiction history of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and an audiobook courtesy of the one and only Willie Nelson.

Ben Macintyre’s A Spy Among Friends (2014) and Agent Sonya (2020)

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If you’re a long-time blog reader, you know that I can be pretty enthusiastic for some of my favorite authors. So, brace yourselves, gentle readers. I have a new favorite author I want to talk about. 🙂

What a Wonderful World: November

This year, our theme at the library is What A Wonderful World. We’re focusing on a different color for each month, and November’s is peaceful periwinkle. To that end, we’re highlighting books at the library with that color (or something close to it) on the cover!